I was thrilled to see a Press Release in Canada this week.  Google Bomb book has been doing exceptionally well not only in the United States, but also abroad.  If you haven’t learned about my story – a cautionary tale of how vicious keystrokes can ruin your reputation virtually, read Google Bomb today – it also offers practical advice to protect yourself before you are hit with Internet slime!

Read Press Release.

Remember, your BFF today can be your foe tomorrow.  Your soulmate today, can be your adversary tomorrow! No one is immune to Internet Slander – so take pre-cautions to secure your name online.

Many of my readers know I am probably one of ReputationDefender’s largest fans.  If you have read my recent book, Google Bomb, you will completely understand why.

Back in 2003 I was attacked viciously online.  Slime balls of lies, twisted truths and much more.  In 2006 I won a landmark case with a jury verdict for damages of over $11M!  The jury sent a very clear and strong message – free speech does not condone defamation.  Be careful what you post online, it may not only haunt you later, it could cost you a bundle. 

After my court room victory, I felt vindicated and like a new person.  However what I didn’t realize is that all that ugly stuff online still existed. 

My next call-out was to Michael Fertik, CEO and Founder of what was, back in 2006, a small new company.  He assured me he could help me with my virtual image.  As promised, within a few months, I was back to myself both emotionally and virtually.

Since then, I have recommended these services to many people.  I receive hundreds of emails of people that are being harmed online. ReputationDefender  has grown from the few people I remember, to an entire staff of caring and dedicated people that are there to help you manage your online reputation.

For the record: I am not a spokesperson or sponsor of ReputationDefender.  I do not participate in their referral affiliate program and I have never received any gifts or money from them.  I am simply a very satisfied client.

Today they announced their latest service, NameGrab.  Here is their recent press release.  I am confident this is another fantastic asset to their growing and successful business.  Read on!

ReputationDefender Launches Online Identity Management Service

NameGrab Allows Users to Control and Protect Their Names Across the Web, Dominate Search Results and Promote Their Personal Brands Online

REDWOOD CITY, CA–(Marketwire – November 16, 2009) – ReputationDefender, the leading comprehensive online reputation and privacy management company, today introduced NameGrab, a new service that allows users to control their online identities and promote their personal brands online. NameGrab’s proprietary technology automates the process of reserving your name across hundreds of social networking sites, thus ensuring both that search results produce the ‘real you’ and that your personal brand is accurately reflected online.

In today’s search-dominated world, your high-quality online identity has never been more crucial. NameGrab provides the tools to help you proactively secure that identity by claiming the most important social profiles on the Web on your behalf. Using NameGrab’s innovative technology, you can now:

–  Control and protect your name across the Web;
–  Own your name on hundreds of social networking sites, including
    Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter;
–  Prevent imposters from posing as you online;
–  Dominate search results for your name; and
–  Ensure that people find the real you.

“It’s impossible to overstate the importance of protecting your good name on the Internet. By gaining control over your brand and image across social networking sites, you can ensure that friends, colleagues and potential customers using these powerful online properties can easily find the real you and not someone else,” said Michael Fertik, CEO and founder of ReputationDefender. “NameGrab is ideal for anyone with a presence online — new college graduates, job hunters, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers and realtors who use the Web for new client leads. NameGrab is the only service that makes reserving and managing your name across social networking sites truly effortless — ultimately putting control of your name back in your own hands, where it belongs.”

NameGrab is also available for businesses looking to improve customer connectivity and efficiently manage their online footprints. NameGrab provides access to all registered usernames and passwords within one convenient, secure location, limiting excess email, and allowing users to easily manage which profiles need content and be alerted to the latest social networks and new profile availability. For more information on NameGrab, please visit: http://www.namegrab.com

About ReputationDefender

ReputationDefender is the world’s only comprehensive online reputation and privacy management company. Through its suite of services, including MyReputation(SM), MyEdge(SM), MyChild(SM), and MyPrivacy(SM), ReputationDefender helps its customers manage and protect their online information. ReputationDefender also helps customers promote themselves and their businesses online. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, ReputationDefender serves customers in over 40 countries and has been featured in Washington Post and Forbes cover stories, Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

Follow ReputationDefender on Twitter @RepDef

Visit ReputationDefenderBlog and get involved with the conversation and chatter!

For everyone and anyone that is reading this, you use the Internet. I recently watch the most compelling and disturbing documentary. I almost feel like Oprah when I say – you have to watch this! I have never been so moved to anger, rage, and other emotions that we are now confronted with because of monsters that lurk online.

My recent book, Google Bomb, is the tip of the iceberg after watching this film. The victims, and now crusaders, in this film contacted me after hearing about my book and my own experiences.

Many people that have read my book say they have nightmares if they read it before going to bed. I never really understood that. Until I watched this documentary and lived it through other’s lives. My story is horrible, what I endured, however since I was so enmeshed in surviving on a daily basis, I didn’t realize how traumatic it was.

I know many of you have limited time. Watch this 50 minute film in segments if you have to, but watch it.

The title is “Stalkers” however I would prefer to use a phrase that was recently introduced to me – “criminals with a keyboard.”

This film shares two stories with you. One with Graham Brown-Martin (pictured above) and his lovely wife, Ren as well as their toddler daughter and the other with a man, Chay, who in one weak moment had a one night stand that takes obsession to a new level. If there was ever a “Fatal Attraction” through the Internet, we have found it. However, unlike the Hollywood movie, Chay literally only had a one night stand, no strings attached. He never heard again from her until months later, and it would be the worse next years of his life.

Are you ready to watch? http://www.digitalsafety.com/cyberstalking

Don’t miss a minute of it! Visit Digital Safety for more information.

In today’s cyberspace world, the Internet is considered the information highway; however how do you determine what is Internet fact or fiction? Recently in Boca Raton, Florida a new service opened and it couldn’t be at a better time.

Today more and more people will Google you and the statistics are growing in regards to employers and college recruiters using Search Engines to research applicants.  It has become imperative that you own your name and maintain your Internet Resume.

•53% of Americans Google each other. – Pew Internet & American Life
•26% of college admissions officers use search engines to research candidates. University of Massachusetts Center for Market Research
•64% of teens say that most teens do things online that they wouldn’t want their parents to know about. -anti-drug.com
*77% of executive recruiters use search engines to research applicants.  -CareerBuilder

Here is a recent Press Release to learn more about placing your name online:

BOCA RATON, FL (November 3, 2009) – With an increasing number of Internet users Googling themselves and others on a regular basis, having an established and positive online search profile is a necessity for both individuals and companies.

Whether it’s a job seeker concerned about what potential employers see about them online or a business owner with a new product launch, having a strong Internet presence under one’s own name is an absolute necessity.

With this in mind, a Florida-based Internet marketing company has announced the launch of PlaceYourName.com, a new service that helps users manage and control what is seen about them when their names are searched online.

Using a combination of Internet public relations, Web site development and proprietary techniques, PlaceYourName.com offers its users the ability to place their name, news and biographical content online, creating a positive search engine profile in the process.

For less than $50, PlaceYourName.com helps empower users to take control of their online image, regardless of writing ability, computer knowledge or whether or not they have an existing Web site.

PlaceYourName.com offers registered users a personalized User Control Panel (UCP), where they input their information, news and content. After approving changes made by a PlaceYourName.com editor, the information is then placed online across a wide variety of content portals.

Once distribution takes place, users then have the ability to log back into their UCP and see the new information in the search engines in real-time.

The cost, ease-of-use and emphasis on personalized name promotion are what separate PlaceYourName.com from other traditional online visibility services.

PlaceYourName.com is a wholly owned subsidiary of Search Me Group, LLC, an Internet marketing company dedicated to establishing online visibility for individuals, companies and organizations.

For more information, visit http://www.PlaceYourName.com  or call 1-561-404-4790. Take a few minutes to watch the video and see how PlaceYourName can help you!

If you doubt that maintaining your virtual image is important, be sure to read my recent book, Google Bomb! The Untold Story of How the $11.3M Verdict Changed the Way We Use the Internet.
Also on Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/x-19494-Broward-County-Parenting-Teens-Examiner~y2009m11d3-New-service-helps-Place-Your-Name-virtually-correct

By Maria Melo

If you haven’t read my review on the, “Google Bomb” book, be sure to read it.  It is the untold story of the landmark internet case that won Sue Scheff $11.3 million for defamation of character.  I was so amazed with what I read, that I just had to follow through with some questions.

Click here  for my complete interview.

We watch personal makeovers on television frequently. There is a housewife that has spent all her time and energy raising her children and has let her appearance go. Or someone that had a bad hair experience and need a makeover (or correction). There are grandmothers that have devoted their lives to raising their kids and their kid’s children and yet never took the time to have a simple manicure.

Yes, makeovers are astonishing to watch on television and on some cable channels we can now watch business makeovers as the reality show world grows. A once dying business can be completely regenerated with the expertise of someone with today’s visionary trends and update that failing company into a booming business.

This is also true virtually! If you don’t have a positive, energizing, engaging and inviting presence online, who will be calling you? Who will be using your services? Who will be dating you?

Have you taken the time to consider a virtual makeover? Are you out of job, applying to college or even looking for a soul mate? Today there is more to your physical appearance and your paper resume; it can be about what Search Engines are saying about you.

Recently CareerBuilder shared these numbers:

•11% of employers plan to start using social networking sites for employment screening.
•Of the 45% of employers who conduct online searches of job candidates, 29% use Facebook, 26% use LinkedIn, 21% use MySpace, 11% search blogs, and 7% use Twitter.
•18% of employers said they found content on social networking sites that encouraged them to hire the candidate, while 35% of employers found content that caused them not to hire the candidate.
 

Take the time to read my previous article on improving your Internet Image. Let it be your own keystrokes that tell the World Wide Web who you are.

Have you discovered you need an online makeover or even need a boost to your virtual image? Are you unsure about using the Internet? Not computer savvy? You may want to consider an online reputation service. Although there are many to choose from now, my experiences are with ReputationDefender who is one of the pioneers of these types of services. They offer different packages to meet your individual needs.

The last thing you want to do is ignore your online presence in today’s ever expanding Internet world.

 For more information: October is National Cyber Safety Awareness Month . I also recommend my recent book, Google Bomb which shares my story of Internet Defamation and how I almost lost my organization from a ruined online reputation.  My experiences can help you learn from my mistakes.

Also on Examiner.com

Does your child, teen or do you venture into “Chat Rooms” online? Chat rooms are among the riskiest places on the Net for children and teens. Most Internet Predators are lingering waiting for their next victim in a variety of chat rooms. Don’t allow it to be your child.

As a Parent Advocate, I encourage all parents to take the steps to educate your children about cyber safety with a strong emphasis on chat room safety. October is National Cyber Safety Awareness Month, which is a reason for you to set aside time to sit with your kids and discuss what lurks online.

Here are some great Chat Room safety tips from Connect Safely to share with your family:

Remember that what you say in a chat room or instant messaging session is live — you can’t take it back or delete it later.

Don’t say anything you wouldn’t want the public to know — this includes your full name, your address, phone number of other personal information.

Don’t get together with someone you meet in a chat room. If you must, meet in a public place and bring along some friends.

Don’t reveal your actual location or when and where you plan to hang out.

Choose a nickname that’s not sexually suggestive and doesn’t give away your real name.

If someone says or does something creepy, block them and don’t respond.

Just sign out if the topic turns to sex. That can often lead somewhere you don’t want to go.

For more info: Connect Safely,iKeepSafe, ReputationDefender/MyChild, Google Bomb Book, Love Our Children USA, The Kristin Helms Internet Safety Foundation, Cati Cares.

Also on Examiner.com

What are they saying about you?

National Cyber Safety Awareness month is a reason for you to take a closer look at who you are virtually.

Many people believe that if they are not online; don’t use Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or other social media that you are immune to what lurks in cyberspace.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. There may come a day when you need employment (or new employment), or want to apply to college (even adults), or simply want to join your local community center. Will someone be reviewing your application? Is your resume perfect for a certain position but you are not getting a call? Do you own a small business and your phones have stopped ringing? What does Google say about you?

Let’s look at another angle. Your child is in competitive sports, or your spouse is a member of a prestigious club, or your parents own the local dry cleaners (or any small business), or you are the president of the PTA, etc. Then there is one upset and/or jealous person that feels you are getting too much attention. Or your child gets the lead in a school play while their child was eliminated?

It only takes a few keystrokes and a click of the mouse before your world in your small little town can become virtually incorrect as you are now accused of malicious acts, even harming your child, being an unfaithful spouse or worse. I have received many emails that this is not unheard of, and people’s lives are devastated from others with intent to ruin your life. Afterall the Internet is a extra-large city with limited regulations and no jails.

Be proactive with your online profile. Take the time to insure your reputation. Whether you are a housewife, a parent, a career professional, a student and others – you are not immune to Internet gossip. Years ago gossip was limited to your own geographically area, now it can go worldwide very quickly. A 20 year reputation can be ruined in 20 minutes with a few vicious keystrokes.

Many Internet readers do not take the time to figure out Internet fact verses Internet fiction. Internet gossip can go viral in a matter of minutes, days, weeks and suddenly you have become someone that has the plague and no one wants to be around you or hire you.

During National Cyber Safety Awareness Month take an hour to build your online image. I posted some tips in an earlier article, Internet image: Tips to maintain your virtual profile and image.
For more info: Read my new book, Google Bomb! The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict that Changed the Way We Use the Internet.  You may also want to consider an online reputation management service, ReputationDefender.

Also on Examiner.com

As part of Teens that Inspire, Cati Grant continues to bring awareness to bullying and cyberbullying. She is helping other teens learn more about cyber safety and the effects of bullying.

During this month of National Cyber Safety Awareness, it is a perfect time to get to know Cati Grant and what inspires her.

At only 16 years old, Cati is already making a difference in many lives and was recently named Teen Ambassador for Love Our Children USA. Read more about this amazing young teen.
Q. Tell us about Cati Cares? When did you create it and why?

A. I created Cati Cares in June of 2008 as a birthday gift from my parents. I created it because I wanted to help other people, prevent cyber-bullying, and promote Internet safety to anyone with access to the Internet. I really wanted to start a movement of caring among teens.

Q. What tips do you have for kids that are being cyber bullied online?

A. Try not to encourage the bully and just try to ignore it…. do not respond, keep records of all contact and talk with a trusted adult. I cannot stress enough for anyone who is being bullied to speak with a trusted adult. There is so much more awareness about this issue than when I went through it several years ago, there are a lot more resources available for everyone to use. Don’t suffer in silence!

Q. Who inspires you and what motivates you?

A. I find inspiration from simple everyday things and I am constantly motivated by people who encourage me to keep up the work of Cati Cares.
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Q. What are your long term goals for Cati Cares?

A. To keep the website up for anyone who might need guidance or help to deal with a bully. I have the domain registered for the next 10 years. I am excited that Cati Cares has given me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful new people. I plan to always be a community advocate.

Q. How do your family, friends and teachers feel about your crusade?

A. They all feel that I am doing a great job and that I am making a difference in the world today.

Q. Do you have other hobbies or activities you enjoy?

A. Yes, I love horses, science and cheerleading. I love walking my dog, Bella. I also enjoy reading and writing.

Q. What do you want to be when you grow up?

A. I want to be a veterinarian specifically for race horses. I love all animals and have been riding horses since I was 5 years old.

Q. I understand you are part of Love our Children USA, it is such an honor. Please tell us about it?

A. It is a great honor to be named the Teen Ambassador by Ross Ellis, she is such a wonderful person. I am excited for the future and happy to have another venue to raise awareness. If we all join together, we can eradicate bullying forever.

Q. You were also invited to participate in Kids Are Heroes Day 2009, another honor. Please tell us more about this special day?

A. Another amazing honor, I am so excited to attend Kids Are Heroes Day in Frederick, Maryland October 24, 2009. I hope to motivate other teens and kids to volunteer in their communities. I am also looking forward to meeting other Heroes. Everyone is invited to come out and meet us. It should be a pretty amazing weekend!

Q. Is there anything more you would like to share with us?

A. I would like to encourage anyone who is being bullied to speak with a trusted adult, they will listen. Middle school and High school will be the toughest years of your life! Be yourself and don’t let anyone else try to make you feel bad for that! I would also like to encourage anyone who is a witness to someone being bullied, speak up! You just might save someone’s life and become a hero. I have some advice for bullies; ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing? Stop before you are branded a bully for life.

You can follow Cati Grant on Twitter and visit her website at www.CatiCares.com.

“Join the movement of TEENS caring.  Take the PLEDGE not to cyberbully.” – Cati Grant

Also on Examiner.com

Internet safety is not only about parenting, kids and teens; it is about you and your profession. Are you a small business owner or are you a professional in a competitive field? First and foremost you need to own your own name and business name virtually.

Here are some Cyber Tips to help protect your good name, reputation and expand your personal branding online.  Being proactive can not only build your business, it can help prevent you from being hit with a Google bomb.

Sign up for personal branding services and post your resume (if applicable) and information that pertains to your services, business, profession etc. Some of these personal branding sites are Naymz.com, LookUpPage.com, Ziggs.com, LinkedIn.com.

Own your name and business name on Blogs. Sign up for free services on Blogs with your business name and your name as the URL. Blogger.com and WordPress.com are two that are most frequently used. (For example: www.suescheff.blogspot.com and www.suescheff.wordpress.com) Try to keep them updated as time permits, however owning them is most important. Keeping them updated will help your search engine rankings and that is what you are aiming for.

Set up your Google Alerts. You want to know when your name or businesses name it being used online. This is another free service that will take you minutes to set up and keep you informed when your name is posted on the Internet. Twilert.com is used for Twitter Alerts. This is also a free service to be alerted if people are using your name on Twitter. Keep in mind, an early alert system can help you to be proactive before it escalates out of control.

Buy your domain name. Most businesses already have a website, however if you don’t, this is critical to your  virtual image and will offer your customers/clients your information firsthand rather than on forums that are not moderated or regulated. This can be minimal in costs and the return will be priceless. Purchasing your URL can cost you a little as 7.99 a year (for example: www.suescheff.com). Building a small website can also be cost effective and every business today, small or large, needs to have a virtual presence. You need to own it and be in control of it. If you already have a website – it is important you keep it fresh and updated. This not only helps your rankings in search engines, it also let your clients/customers know you are in business.

Social Networking. Back to owning your own name, and/or business name; create your online presence with Social Networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace etc. Social media can actually grow your business and brand your name. Just remember, you need to be the one creating the brand! Keeping your information updated, as I said above, not only improves your search engine rankings, it shows your potential clients/customers you are active in your industry.

Create anchors with your name/business name. Every time you post your business name, hyperlink it back to your website and a specific page about the general content, such as Teen Depression. Another example, my organization is Parents’ Universal Resource Experts, click on it, it will bring you to my website. If you have a slogan for your business, such as, “parents helping parents” hyperlink it back to your site. These are “anchor links” and will also improve your search engine rankings.

Google yourself and your business name frequently. Always being aware of your virtual image can save you hours/days/weeks of correcting it. The earlier you see a negative post, the sooner you can address it. Depending on the post, you have methods you can take to correct it. In some cases you may know the client that wrote the unflattering post and you can contact them and ask what you can do to make it right. (Unfortunately, many are not that easy). If it is slanderous and abusive towards your small business or yourself, you can review the TOS (Terms of Service) or Code of Conduct and see if the post violates their guidelines. These are usually found at the bottom of the web page, or search the help box for that website.  Once you find the TOS or Code of Conduct, a simple note to the site moderator may get the post removed. Most important, is to be proactive.

Reputation Management Online Services. Today more and more businesses are hiring online reputation management services and viritual assistants (also know as VA’s).  These seem to be replacing many public relation services, or in many cases, public relations are expanding their services to online reputation management.  This is a person decision depending on your budget and your business.  Whether you hire one or not, it is important you take action and be proactive to insure your online profile for both you and your business.

For more info: ReputationDefender, Google Bomb book, Stay Safe Online, Do You Know What Google is Saying About You? Also refer to my article about maintaining your Online Image.

Also on Examiner.com

Google Bomb by John W Dozier Jr. and Sue Scheff

Reviewed by Jane Balvanz

We all know the drill the flight attendant gives before the plane takes off. “Ladies and gentleman, please note the compartment above where the oxygen masks are stored. In case of an emergency, they will drop down. Please put your oxygen mask on first before assisting children or others.” We know why. If you can’t protect yourself first, you can’t help anyone else.

The Google Bomb book is a metaphoric oxygen mask. If we want to protect our kids from cyber bullying, we need to know what can happen to adults on the Internet. While it’s a wonderful place to communicate, conduct business, and access information, the Internet is also a virtual place with cyber land mines. You can’t navigate around them if you don’t know they exist.

A line from the book made me sit up and take notice: “Parents, if you cannot use and understand the technology your kids are using, then don’t allow them to use it. Period.” This wasn’t a call for parents to shut off their kids’ computers, cell phones, or ban them from technological advances. It was a call for parents to know as much as their children about technology, because what you don’t know about the Internet can hurt you….and your family.

This brings to mind one of my friends. She’s a successful business owner, financially astute, and her business is not Internet dependent. In fact, she’s so successful she doesn’t even have to advertise. She’s savvy, but she doesn’t know how to navigate on a computer let alone access the Internet. Her children know more about this technology than she does. They are six and seven.

Now to the matter of why the Google Bomb book exists. Sue Scheff, renowned and respected child and parent advocate and founder of Parents Universal Resource Experts (P.U.R.E.), became the target of unfathomable Internet defamation. She was hit by a Google Bomb. Because of false, defamatory material written about her on the Internet, she became a magnet for serious cyber stalkers and their followers. For a while, Sue’s life was not her own. Her story reads like the horrifying cyber nightmare you never want to experience and a “how to” in case you do.

Though reeling from cyber abuse, Sue refused to become a victim. She took measures to address the damage done. Lucky for us, John Dozier, Jr. and Sue chose to write this book. We benefit because Google Bomb teaches us ways to protect ourselves and our families from Internet abuse. One invaluable section, Top Ten Steps You Can Take to Protect Yourself Online, outlines how to take action immediately. The steps are preventative – think oxygen mask vs. domino effect. When your reputation is attacked online, the following can fall, one after the other: others’ trust in you, your job performance, your business, your area of expertise, your self-esteem, chances for advancement, and maybe your job. Your children may be teased or shunned because of it, and the result can be on beyond devastating. Just ask Sue.

In the end, Sue won an $11.3M lawsuit against her cyber stalker. The road was long and painful. The verdict was a landmark decision that changed the way we use the Internet. As you seek to guide and protect your children regarding Internet usage, seek to protect yourself as well. Put your own oxygen mask on first.

· Who should purchase Google Bomb?

Every person with a name and reputation which they wish to protect should purchase this book. You don’t have to be a technological titan to understand the examples provided. The take-away knowledge provides you a fighting chance to protect, and when necessary, reclaim your reputation. My adage re family online safety is: “Invest in your family’s online safety, commensurate with the value of your family.” This book’s modest price is asymmetrical to the increased value you’ll experience in your reputation safety quotient.

· Why you should purchase Google Bomb

Google Bomb is road-map clear, no missed exits, nor wrong turns, no questionable advice. It is an arrow in your quiver, so that you may defend yourself and/or prepare yourself should you have the unfortunate experience of receiving the vile ill-will of another via the social media environment in which we collectively exist – you do have a fighting chance.

· How Google Bomb touched me

Only infrequently does a book cause a reader to experience a personal visceral reaction; for me, it’s happened only once before. Google Bomb, the telling of Sue Scheff’s personal story in the recovery of her good name and reputation, is such a book, it moved me, and it will move you. Allow me to explain.

Those who know me well will have immediate understanding why a book which charts the Herculean efforts required to reclaim your good name, reputation and professional stature following the actions of a few to destroy, such resonated with me. You see, once you’ve traversed that road of false accusations, you never wish to replicate the journey again, and you’d wish it upon no one.

When it’s happening it’s surreal and unbelievable. Once the realization you aren’t dreaming hits home, you are either overwhelmed and capitulate, in effect self-declared road-kill or you take inventory of all your resources and deduce your good name and honorable reputation are the only remnants of your life worth protecting. You then take these remnants and use them to form the foundation of your reclamation efforts. Even if your first steps may feel a bit like Don Quixote tilting at windmills, persevere, what journey ever started off with every experience preordained?

I appreciated the description of the pivotal moment when Sue described the last straw, the straw which caused her to stand up and say, “Enough already.” I had complete visualization of her reaction when the miscreants who had been attacking her persona and her company, began attacking her children. I had no doubt her “mother bear” instinct to fight and protect her offspring was fully awake and it was game-on!

Unfortunately, bad things do happen to good people. You strive, perhaps seemingly altruistically to bring goodness to this world and awaken one day to find yourself surrounded by vile and unconscionable accusations. Your mindset describes the event as “stupefying,” you are now seemingly being punished for your good works. Google Bomb describes such an experience, Sue’s experience.

· What to do and how to do it

John Dozier’s insightful discussion of events, throughout the book, is clear and concise – the reader can easily understand the, “why” behind each of Sue’s actions. I found myself rereading and noting the legal and technical strategy employed as Sue’s reputation was reclaimed. I was nodding my head with great satisfaction as those wishing ill will upon Sue and her family were identified, held accountable and brought before the courts where they were ultimately held responsible and duly punished.

· Applicability for businesses and intellectual property

John’s extrapolation of his methodologies to the realm of a small, medium, or large company’s reputation and intellectual property protection is spot-on. My own book “Secrets Stolen, Fortunes Lost” was stolen within 60 days of publication from my publisher, and then shared via peer-to-peer networks (see my article Secrets Stolen, No Just the Intellectual Property which describes the experience). Plainly spoken, if you have intellectual property, “Have a strategy!” to protect it.

· Reputation Defense

Highlighting the good works of Michael Fertik’s Reputation Defender, was personally appreciated, as it reoriented my compass with respect to his firm – I’ll be re-engaging the company to learn more about their capabilities. My first encounter with Reputation Defender can only be described as “going sideways” and I have no doubt it was an anomalous event – I look forward to learning more from Michael or his staff, as Sue’s experiences described in Google Bomb, clearly show them to be effective.

· Google Bomb’s call to action

I agree with and wish to associate myself with the call-to-action contained in the book. We are all responsible for keeping our shared online community safe. When self-policing and self-control fail, then we do require meaningful laws availed to law enforcement and prosecutors. Laws having backbone and are easily understood and are flexible enough to anticipate evolution of technology are required. In essence our current situation is analogous to having a population center of millions without a “time-out” corner.

In my opinion, we need alignment of state and federal statutes which will hold accountable those engaging in cyber stalking, invasion of our privacy, personal impersonation and character defamation. In the United States, well meaning legislators are acting individually and from the optic of their constituent states – we need federal action. Furthermore, restraining orders need to have appropriate meat attached to their bones, with a need to integrate 21st century technologies – in the physical world 100 feet is measurable, in the virtual world, geographic borders are obscured – lets bring technological audit trails, access controlled environments and filtering into play.

It is no small task to fill the international voids which provide haven for both domestic and international criminal or malevolent individuals to operate with impunity, but instead of describing the difficulty, let’s get started. I’m all in! If we don’t all step up and contribute, then Sue’s story will be the first of many more to come.

· My personal thank you

In closing, I’d like Sue to know I’ve great personal empathy for the angst which she and her family experienced and I commend her for her display of personal courage and fortitude, from her decision to stand up and not take it any more, all the way through the sharing of her story so that others may learn from her experiences. For John, your work speaks for itself, nicely done sir.

Thank you Sue also for your good works both individually and through your Parents Universal Resource Experts (PURE); it is clear you are one of the good people, and many families no doubt are grateful beyond their ability to articulate for the assistance you provided. Thank you John for your clear explanations of the legal strategy and steps one can take to protect oneself, you’ve empowered many.

By:
Christopher Burgess
Christopher is the senior security advisor within a Fortune 100 company. He is also the co-author of Secrets Stolen, Fortunes Lost, Preventing Intellectual Property Theft and Economic Espionage in the 21st Century
http://www.secretsstolen.com/
Twitter: @burgessct
This reviewer paid for this book

Actually, a lot of people can watch you. It’s quite a popular misbelief that you can hide online because you obviously cannot. Here is an excerpt of a recent TIME article:

A new survey of medical-school deans finds that unprofessional conduct on blogs and social-networking sites is common among medical students. Although med students fully understand patient-confidentiality laws and are indoctrinated in the high ethical standards to which their white-coated profession is held, many of them still use Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr and other sites to depict and discuss lewd behavior and sexual misconduct, make discriminatory statements and discuss patient cases in violation of confidentiality laws, according to the survey, which was published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Of the 80 medical-school deans questioned, 60% reported incidents involving unprofessional postings and 13% admitted to incidents that violated patient privacy. Some offenses led to expulsion from school.

Google Bomb: The Untold Story of Sue Scheff and Her $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet

Are you ready to be google bombed? Why you must read Sue Scheff’s story

By Dr. Michele Borba (Parenting Expert and Today Show Contributor)

First off, a little disclosure: a few weeks ago I admit to being absolutely clueless about Sue Scheff’s infamous defamation case. (I know, I know, my head must have been buried in the sand to miss all the news coverage). When I finally did read her story I realized my ignorance was somewhat of an advantage. You see the only Sue Scheff I had known was a parent advocate, a caring friend, and a woman of impeccable integrity. Once I read the cyber nightmare she endured I knew that if this happened to a person such as Sue with such heart and strong character  it could happen anyone. It’s also exactly why you must read Google Bomb. So allow me to introduce you to my friend, Sue Scheff and describe what happened to her with hopes it will never happen to you.

Allow Me to Introduce You To My Friend, Sue Scheff 

It all started a few months ago when I began using twitter. I loved the ease of connecting and meeting new colleagues, one of whom was a woman named Sue Scheff. It didn’t take much to recognize from her posts that she cared deeply about kids, had a solid pulse on parental concerns and was always willing to offer help to those who asked. She had that “real” quality that you just couldn’t miss. I learned she had authored, Wit’s End: Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out-of-Control Teen, and founded a well-acclaimed organization, Parents’ Universal Resource Experts (P.U.R.E.) which helped parents find ways to protect their children from destructive influences by educating them about the issues their family faces.

Over time our online relationship became an offline friendship. We talked frequently and in one chat Sue told me her next book, Google Bomb: The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet (with John Dozier), was about to be released. I started reading it the moment it arrived and literally couldn’t put it down. I honestly can’t recall the last time I was so intensely moved by a story. It was also the first time I knew Sue had endured what you might call a cyber-nightmare: she had been google bombed.

Google Bomb: Internet slang for a certain kind of attempt to raise the ranking of a given page in results from a Google search. (Wikipedia)

August 2003: Sue Scheff Is Google Bombed

Sue Scheff’s story began on August 2003 when her integrity was first attacked ironically on the very website she created for at-risk teens. The slam was one vicious post from a parent who Sue had tried to help. But within no time that post turned into a full-blown character assassination that went viral.  Educational articles and parent resources she wrote to help parents were suddenly laced with unspeakable descriptions defaming Sue’s character. Slanderous posts were now everywhere on the information highway and were impossible to stop, take down or erase. What’s more, if you googled Sue’s name you were detoured from her website and to dozens of porn sites. And the cyber attacks proved deadly offline as well: Sponsors pulled away from her, clients stopped calling, and friends stepped back.

Sue’s reputation as a parent advocate was smeared, her business ruined and her work for children’s destroyed. One woman’s vicious intent to destroy Sue’s credibility and character succeeded with a mere click of a computer key.

Sue’s Fight for Character and Redemption

Sue fought back to defend herself and restore her damaged reputation but at a huge cost—both physically and emotionally. In the next three years I learned she had racked up over $150,000 in legal fees, watched her organization nearly disintegrate, and developed classical symptoms of agoraphobia where Sue could barely leave her home let alone answer her phone. And then hired an attorney and endured a tough legal battle to try and reclaim her reputation.

On September 19, 2006 a Florida jury declared their own outrage and awarded Sue a landmark $11.3 million verdict. That verdict sent a strong warning that destroying lives online would not be tolerated. And right they were.

Cyber attacks have become a growing trend among adults as well as youth and those attacks are destroying lives. The first step to change is knowledge and that’s exactly why I urge you to read Google Bomb. Please read it carefully and then pass it on to others. If this could happen to Sue it could happen just as easily to anyone—including you or your family.

I was on my own person emotional roller coaster reading this book. From complete disbelief: “Is this really the same Sue Scheff?”;  to rage: “How could anyone do something like this to another human being!!!?”;  to tears: “How did she live through this?” And when I read the final page I actually stood up and cheered. I cheered Sue’s character, grit, and unwavering determination to right a terrible wrong.

Thank you, Sue for having the courage to fight back to defend your reputation and tell your tale. It’s an example to us all. 

Aristotle said years ago that the true measure of a person’s character rests in their actions. Your actions speak volumes, my friend.  

 Michele Borba is the author of 22 books including Big Book of Parenting Solutions which is now available. Follow her on Twitter @MicheleBorba

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Call (626) 536-1933.

The LA Times  started last Thursday with a 4 part series on the launching of Google Bomb Book.  Today is the official release date!  Part one was the dynamic foreward by Michael Fertik, CEO and founder of Reputation Defender.  Part two is my turn, and here it is!

 Sue Scheff didn’t expect she’d make enemies when she founded the child and parenting advocacy organization PURE. But someone began attacking her on the Internet, posting enough defamatory statements to compel her to bring a lawsuit. She won $11.3 million in 2006.
In this second installment of our exclusive preview of the book “Google Bomb,” (read part 1 here) Brand X brings you Scheff’s story.

Even years later, “Sue Scheff is destroying lives…I want others to know…” still has the impact of a sucker punch I didn’t see coming from the Internet. It was August, 2003 when the first attack on my integrity appeared on a website that focused on programs for at-risk teens, the industry in which I provide services to parents via an organization I founded called PURE. The individual posting was a parent I had actually tried to help after she contacted me for assistance. So, imagine my shock when that first unexpected accusation escalated into a full-blown character assassination.

Threats were made against me and a gang mentality took hold as numerous voices began to chime in. Who were these people? Other than the initiator of the attacks and the website owner, I had no idea. Why did they seem so driven to destroy me and my organization? Again, I was clueless. And I had absolutely no idea how to make this runaway train stop. I didn’t dare make my presence known on the forum for fear of the virtual lynch mob that went after a few well-meaning supporters who tried to intervene on my behalf only to end up like road kill on the Information Highway themselves.

As I continued to watch this whole crazy thing spin beyond damage control, something just as frightening would eventually snake its way into the search engines of Google: If you typed in Sue Scheff it wasn’t my website with educational articles and resources for parents that appeared at first glance. No, because over two pages of initial Google results led to links that took viewers to sites like Sue Scheff’s Red Panties where I was the star of a pornographic discussion. Not exactly what you want your kids or parents to see. As for professional colleagues, they were targets of proximity that risked losing their own credibility unless they kept their distance.

With no other way to defend myself and restore my damaged reputation, in December, 2003, I hired an attorney, David Pollack, who filed a lawsuit in Broward County, Florida against the originator of the attacks. In the next three years I racked up over $150,000 in legal fees and saw my organization nearly disintegrate. I developed classic symptoms of agoraphobia that transformed me from an extrovert who loved working with families, to a depressed recluse who wouldn’t answer the phone and rarely left the home I had mortgaged to the hilt in order to continue litigation.

Victims of Internet defamation and cyberstalking reside in a lonely place in our society. It’s like living in a Leper Colony: Population of One. Make no mistake. This monster is an equal opportunity offender that does not discriminate on the basis of your profession, gender, color, religion, or anything else that we think might set us apart from every other person in life. From lawyers to landscapers, teens to grandparents: No one is immune.

The malicious stroke of a key has become the equivalent of a cyberbullet. Only it’s not just getting fired off into cyberspace, it’s hitting intended targets in very real, physical places. The underbelly of Internet society that aggressively pursues unsuspecting victims, and the lack of legal protection against the invisible trolls who bully and stalk at will, has received a recent spike in public awareness. Good.

We need very real repercussions for violating a reporter’s privacy in a motel room with a peep camera for mass voyeuristic consumption. We need to insist upon a civilized Internet community where good, decent people can no longer be held hostage by a vindictive ex-spouse, a mentally unbalanced customer, or some acquaintance in class that goes by the name of “anonymous.”

After nearly losing my house to pay for my day in court, and nearly losing my sanity as well as my business during the three years it took me to get there, on September 19, 2006, a jury declared their outrage with a landmark $11.3M verdict, a forceful warning that ruining lives with online attacks is wrong and will not be tolerated.

And yet I continue to be stunned by the volume of emails I receive with heartbreaking stories that are as bad, or worse, than my own. The wheels of justice plod slowly in a www.world that moves at the speed of thought, the click of a mouse. So as we continue to wait for the courts to catch up with our virtual reality, do you know what Google is saying about you?

 – Sue Scheff  and Olivia Rupprecht

Part 3 Ready to protect yourself online? OK, let’s get started

Part 4 The top 10 ways to protect yourself from e-venge

I was so flattered and honored to speak with Columnist and Journalist, Kathleen Parker.  She interviewed me yesterday and wrote an amazing column which included my new book book, Google Bomb, that is now available on Amazon and will be officially released on September 1st.  The endorsements and reviews have been fantastic!  There is a ground swell, and I believe we have  the making of a best seller.  The topic is timely and sizzling with the recent news on Google being forced to expose an anonymous Blogger.

Follow Google Bomb Book on Twitter @GoogleBombBook and @SueScheff

Shock Waves From the Google Bombs

By Kathleen Parker

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

When Oscar Wilde observed that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about, he could not have imagined the Internet.

The wild frontier we now know and (mostly) love called the blogosphere is a not-always-okay corral where Free Speech is armed and often dangerous.

The latest showdown is between two women — a Vogue model and an anonymous blogger — at odds over what is permissible in the name of free expression. After the blogger called Liskula Cohen a “skank,” among other things, the model demanded her identity from the blog host, Google. A New York Supreme Court judge agreed that she was entitled to the information and ordered the company to reveal her name.

Outraged, the blogger, revealed as Rosemary Port, is launching a $15 million lawsuit against Google for disclosing her identity. Google’s Andrew Pederson said that while his company sympathizes with victims of cyber-bullying, “We also take great care to respect privacy concerns and will only provide information about a user in response to a subpoena or other court order.”

Voila.

This all may seem like an inside-the-runway spat between two women who don’t like each other. As pioneering blogger and law professor Glenn Reynolds noted on Instapundit, “I never would have heard the words ‘Liskula Cohen’ and ’skank’ together if it hadn’t been for her blogger-outing litigation efforts.”

The model case isn’t insignificant, however, and raises weighty questions about privacy, anonymity and the future of e-free speech.

The problem of online defamation is hardly new, but several recent lawsuits have begun challenging the anything-goes modus operandi of the Internet. One of the most famous dates to 2006, when Sue Scheff won a staggering $11.3 million verdict against a woman who had posted hundreds of defamatory comments about Scheff and her company, which counsels the parents of troubled teens.

After years of torment that included stalkers and death wishes, Scheff was able to prove that her reputation and business suffered as a result of the defendant’s comments. In her new book, “Google Bomb,” due for release Sept. 1 and co-authored with attorney John W. Dozier Jr., Scheff tells the story of her lawsuit and offers advice to others similarly defamed online.

“Google bomb” is Internet slang for attempting to raise the ranking of a given page during a Google search. The popularity of a page may not reflect the page’s relationship to truth, but it may be popular for other reasons. Let’s just say, nasty sells.

Defusing Google bombs isn’t much fun unless you’re a computer geek or have no preferable ways of spending your time. To keep your online profile positive and prominent, you have to blog, tweet and maintain Web sites — or hire someone to do it for you. Scheff says she resents having to do these things, but, “if you don’t own your own name, someone else will.”

Scheff considers herself lucky because she was able to hire an attorney as well as an Internet monitoring company, ReputationDefender, that manages her online persona. Others, hundreds of whom write her each week, aren’t so fortunate. In one example, a wedding photographer lost his business when a single unhappy bride went ‘zilla and trashed him online.

“No one is immune,” says Scheff. And, just because you’re not personally active on the Internet doesn’t mean that your persona isn’t online — not necessarily in a good way. The Internet has unleashed that part of ourselves that we used to keep under wraps. Dark thoughts, like the trolls of Mordor, can now surface and thrive by the light of day.

The freedom granted by anonymity and a virtual audience may have been a boon to democracy, affording everyone a voice, but it has been a plague on decency. Inhibition, we lament, is an undervalued virtue.

Scheff’s case and the Cohen incident suggest that a new level of accountability, largely missing from personal blogs, may be in the offing. “What you type today can haunt you tomorrow,” says Scheff. “People need to know that if you use your mouse and keypad to harm others, there is a price tag.”

Harm is the operative word. Although Scheff was able to prove material losses, Cohen likely gained from her brief tenure as a victim. In fact, she has dropped her lawsuit and forgiven the blogger.

No one likes being bashed online or elsewhere — and public people are familiar with the experience. But even Scheff thinks that in the absence of quantifiable defamation, anonymity deserves protection. As Google and the courts slug it out, Cohen did manage to render an oft-ignored lesson in bold italics: Think before you type.

Or else someone may want more than a penny for your thoughts.

I recently attended a seminar on branding yourself.  The program mainly focused on presenting yourself as confident, trustworthy, and competent through your appearance, but facilitator Chris Fulkerson, professional image consultant and founder of VIP Studio, Visual Impact & Presence, also noted that your online image can speak volumes about you and your capabilities as a business owner or professional.

She wasn’t talking about simply having a well-designed, professional website for your company.  She was referring to the cautionary tales we’ve all heard in the social networking realm: the risqué photos on Facebook that make potential employers think twice about hiring a recent college graduate, the Twitter post that unmasks how someone really feels about a client, the Google search that reveals who knows what.

Fulkerson suggested we all Google ourselves.  I hadn’t done this in about six months or so, and I was a little wary of what I might find.  No, there’s nothing on the internet, or anywhere else for that matter, that would prompt the excuse, “I was young, desperate for money, and I had a nice body at the time.”  The last time I had checked, however, there were a few search results that, to some potential clients, might indicate that I’m not all about business.

I suppose no one is all about business all the time.  Many business owners and professionals juggle their professional, personal, and civic activities in a spectacularly stressful balancing act every day.  But those memberships and activities usually go together.  For example, you would expect someone like Fulkerson to also serve on the board of a not-for-profit organization that teaches impoverished women how to present themselves at a job interview.  A bank president who volunteers an hour a week teaching financial literacy classes to high school students is also no surprise.  On the other hand, a business woman who’s also an actress might make you do a double take.

That was my fear.  I am in the business of writing, editing, and market research.  I continue to write radio commercials, come up with slogans and taglines for businesses and write other ad copy, all of which requires a measure of creativity.  But the rest of the writing – business letters, sales proposals, business plans, bios, press releases and the like – isn’t necessarily something I would think to trust an actress with.

As I was working on my certificate in screenwriting from UCLA, I sought part-time work through a temp agency.  When one of the head-hunters saw that my résumé included a minor in painting, years of administrative and performance-based community service with various performing arts organizations, and the certificate program in which I was then enrolled, she bluntly said, “Take all that artsy-fartsy stuff off.  People will think you’re not serious.”

I obeyed, but it hurt.  The “artsy-fartsy stuff” was and still is very much a part of me.  It’s an outlet when I’m overwhelmed with data for market research reports or facts and figures for a Business First article and a creative boost when I’m looking for inspiration for ad copy.

With a little bit of reasoning, I think that any potential client could see that my business world and my artistic world can co-exist, but I had one other concern: What’s the order of those worlds in a Google search about me?  If “Mariam Williams the artist” comes up ahead of, or has more hits than “Mariam Williams the head writer, editor and researcher of Research Works,” does that say to a potential client that I wouldn’t care as much about their market research report as I would about my next stage production?

I finally googled myself on August 20, 2009.  I was glad to see that LinkedIn profiles for women with my name came up second in the search results, and that I was the first Mariam Williams listed when I tried the LinkedIn link.  When I googled myself the same day using the search term “Mariam Williams Louisville,” the actress and playwright grabbed the top spot, followed by LinkedIn.  At least a couple of professional writing samples made the top 10 that time; I had to go to page two for those when searching under my name without the city.  Over all, it sounds like I may be more in need of an SEO specialist than of a change in mindset.

I leave you with a word of caution: You can’t control everything that the internet reveals about you through a Google search.  I have learned to author every post as myself on my other blog and to include a copyright notice that also includes my name at the end of every post.  Now that there are 50⁺ posts, some of those entries come up in search results.  I’ve also read (not tested for myself!) that if there is anything out there that would make you say, “Those pictures were just supposed to be between you and me! You said you would burn them if we ever broke up!” you can simply ask the offender to remove them before taking legal action.  However, if someone has cached the embarrassing footage, there’s not much you can do.  So do be careful at those holiday parties, just say no to tagging and set your privacy settings meticulously on Facebook and do watch what your online image says about you.

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According to Wikipedia: Google Bomb (n) or “link bomb”: Internet slang for a certain kind of attempt to raise the ranking of a given page in results from a Google search.

What damage can it do? Major! As a victim and survivor of a Google Bomb, I will share with you that a few vicious keystrokes and clicks of a mouse - your good name can be trashed, slimed and literally ruined virtually.  Your 20 year reputable business can be destroyed in a matter of 20 minutes from this type of activity.

Prior writing my book, I was clueless about Google Bombs, but very familiar with Internet Defamation. I never realized this monster had a name until we searched for a book title.

Whether you are a teacher or a principal, a lawyer or a landscaper, a truck driver or a doctor, a stay-at-home mom or career woman, teens to grandparents – no one is immune to Google Bombs. You may have an unsatisfied client, disgruntled customer, student that didn’t like their grade, a friend turned foe or went through a divorce and your once soul mate is now your adversary. The Internet doesn’t discriminate, learn to maintain and protect your name, business, kids, and family online.

The Internet has been considered an educational tool and an informational highway, now it is being used as a legal lethal weapon. I believe in free speech and the First Amendment; however it will not condone Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy. I have countless numbers of emails from victims of Cyber slander, it is a growing problem that needs to be addressed and awareness needs to be raised.

Years ago I went through a very trying time, when I realized I was being attacked online. I fought back legally and won an unprecedented jury verdict for damages over $11M for Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy. $5M of this verdict was awarded for punitive damages – meant to punish. The jury read through pages (literally tons of posts) and listened to testimony to determine that what happened to me needed to send a strong message.

In my latest book, Google Bomb, The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet, you will read many of the ugly posts (anti-semantic, sexual, death wishes, and more). You will also go behind the scenes of the legal road, as well as practical guidance prevent this from happening to you. My attorney, David Pollack vindicated me legally; however the Internet was still full of slime. That is when I turned to Michael Fertik, CEO and Founder of ReputationDefender who worked diligently to successfully help me. Back in 2006 online management services were only starting up, and I was fortunate the timing couldn’t be more perfect.

As a writer for the Examiner on parenting issues, please take note that more colleges are checking your child’s name when their applications are received. Furthermore, even more employers are surfing search engines prior employing applicants. It is critical we educate our children and teens that what they post today may end up haunting them tomorrow! Be an educated parent.
 

Paulo Nuin shared this interesting link today on his Friendfeed account. I’m not sure Personas works perfectly, but shows some useful things about what people can find when they do a search for your name online. You insert your name, then let it visualize everything. In details:

Enter your name, and Personas scours the web for information and attempts to characterize the person – to fit them to a predetermined set of categories that an algorithmic process created from a massive corpus of data. The computational process is visualized with each stage of the analysis, finally resulting in the presentation of a seemingly authoritative personal profile.

It turned out my keywords are online, education and medical. Seems to be pretty accurate.

Do you know what lurks online?

Internet Safety has become a priority concern for many parents. Whether you are worried about predators online, or your child’s social networking; don’t forget about your child’s (especially teens) virtual image.

Today more and more colleges and employers are using your name or your child’s name in a “Google Search Box.” They may use other search engines, but Google seems to be the trend and most frequently used.

Years ago I woke up to find myself in the middle of a Cyber-War that I literally thought was simply a nightmare and what I was seeing/reading online had to be a mistake.

It wasn’t! If you can imagine the most horrible things being said about you, including sexual innuendos, anti-semantic remarks, and worse, you will be living what I went through.

My never before told story is finally told in my upcoming book, Google Bomb, The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet (Health Communications, Inc. September 2009). People that have reviewed this book are simply stunned, shocked and amazed what can happen to you if you are not aware of your online presence or have a cyberstalker.

Google Bomb will not only go behind the scenes of my 2+ year court battle that vindicated me with a landmark $11.3M jury verdict for damages done to me online (Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy), it will also offer you practical guidance.  Have you been slimed online?

What does this have to do with parenting? Your child will be applying to colleges someday, or filling out job applications. Are they aware of what Google is saying about them? For that matter, do you know what Google is saying about you?

Remember, it can take 20 years to build a solid reputation about you, and only 20 minutes for it to be destroyed with evil keystrokes. Whether you have a disgruntled client, a friend turned foe or a relative that didn’t like the reading of a will – you need to be prepared to protect your cyber profile.

From students to teachers, lawyers to landscapers, truck drivers to doctors, stay-at-home moms to career women, teens to grandparents  – no one is immune to what lurks online.

For more info: Google Bomb Book, Sue Scheff, Amazon, ReputationDefender Blog, Wit’s End Book, EpicCenter Wired.

 Also read at the Examiner.com

There is not a big difference, even if a lot of people think there is. I’ve written many posts about online image building and reputation management but here is a practical example why everyone should be more cautious about what they say online (just like they’re cautious about what they say offline).

Somebody posted a message about her job on Facebook. But the boss was also there…

Further reading:

• Launch Your Career with LinkedIn
• Online Reputation: Tips and Tricks
• Web vs real life: Advice for medical students
• The Online Reputation Management Guide

Google Bomb – The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet

I am so excited as we are nearing our launch date of September 1st.  Of course, excitement mixed with other emotions as this book was extremely difficult to write, however I know that there are many people out there that are victims of vicious keystrokes, and suffering with the feeling of being powerless to the Internet Slime.  Take control back, learn to maintain and build your virtual image.  Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy is a horrible and emotional experience that can lead many people into seclusion, depression and fear. 

Do you have a story to share? Visit me at http://www.googlebombbook.com/share.php  This book is dedicated to those that are suffering with cyberharassement and feeling helpless and alone. Trust me, you are not alone.

Here are the endorsements and reviews so far, and more are coming in…. I want to thank all these people for taking the time to read Google Bomb  and send us their comments.

As author of the foreword and CEO and Founder of Reputation Defender Michael Fertik says, “Google is not God. Google is not the First Amendment, and it is not the truth. It is a machine. It may be the best machine invented in the past fifteen years, with myriad benefits for human knowledge and collaboration, but it is still just a machine that operates on rules devised by people. For that reason, it is both inherently fallible and subject to deliberate abuse.”

—Michael Fertik, CEO and Founder of Reputation Defender

“I haven’t been this affected by a book in a long time. I went from a shaking rage to knots in my stomach to tears and finally to cheers. What happened to Sue could happen to any of us, and Google Bomb’s practical guidance, makes this a highly profound and useful book that the world needs to read.”

—Michele Borba, Ed.D., Author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions, Parenting Expert and Today Show Contributor

“Google Bomb is a great book!  The Constitution protects free speech, but slander is not free speech.  We should be able to hold slanderers accountable, and Google Bomb helps readers do that.”

—Senator Walter G. “Skip” Campbell, Jr.

“Parents need to teach their kids to be safe online, and Google Bomb offers a game plan that even a technophobe can execute.  A must read for anyone who has ever posted their name on the internet, but especially for those whose kids are doing so every day.”

—Danielle Wood, Editor-in-Chief, Education.com

“Google Bomb is an instructive and timely book that will only become increasingly relevant as our laws catch up to the realities of today’s evolving technology.  Sue’s triumph over her attacker underscores the principle that there is no constitutionally protected right to defame others online.”

—Fatima R. Fahmy, Attorney at Law

“Google Bomb offers solutions to virtual threats and character assassinations and is a wakeup call as to why we need tough legislation to protect the innocent – albeit children, adults, or businesses. Bravo to Sue Scheff and John W. Dozier Jr. for writing this much-needed book.”

—Ross Ellis, Founder and CEO, Love Our Children USA

Maintaining your online image

With social networking becoming more and more popular and not just with the teens and tweens, don’t be surprised if your professional network start conversing with you about your latest Facebook post or Tweet. I was at a Women In Leadership monthly luncheon when one of the ladies at my table asked me how I got involved in Building Steam, which is a local running program. I was completely surprised by the question, and I knew she could tell by the expression on my face. She said “I am following you”. I had to laugh because I didn’t realize anyone of my professional network connections were truly following me. It ended up a great connecting point with some of the new individuals at the table and lead into some great business conversations. So back to my point, with your professional network starting to follow you or your company online, how do you monitor your online image? We all know bad news spreads faster than good, and it’s hard enough to control it when it’s word of mouth, but when it is a tweet that is showing up on everyone’s Twitter that are following them, things can get out of control fast. So here are some tools are online monitoring or spying:

• www.backtype.com – sends alerts when a comment is made that includes your company name or brand
• www.blogpulse.com – searches blogs for mentions of your company
• www.boardreader.com – searches message boards, forums, videos, and Twitter
• www.google.com/alerts – sends you alerts when your company or brand appears on the Web, blogs, news, video, or discussion groups
• www.icerocket.com – searches blogs, news, Web, MySpace, Twitter, images
• www.search.twitter.com – searches for mentions of your brand or company on Twitter
• www.tweetdeck.com – among other things it can monitor mentions on Twitter
• www.technorati.com – searches blogs, photos, and videos If you don’t think your competitors are not using these tools, think again.

When I tweet’d “going kayaking and reading a book – is there anything better to do tonight?”, I had three “following” requests from sporting good stores and two from other individuals. When I tweet’d “heading to Wine & Book Club – I just finished the book! Yes!”, I had two “following” requests from wine companies/providers. Companies are using these types of tools to find their customer base or to expand their customer base. You might want to search for people tweeting about “homes”, “commercial space”, whatever your specialty is to find out the online pulse of what is out there. Some of these applications/tools also let you restrict the search to a specific demographic area. They are very powerful and constantly evolving.